Page:The Mastering of Mexico.djvu/311

Rh our lives, cared little whether we had gold or not, and were happy to get off with any degree of safety and cure our wounds. Of the gold that was saved Cortes and some of the officers got as much as they could lay their hands on.

In the peace now prevailing Cortes moved the main part of the troops to Tlaxcala, leaving behind at Tepeaca an officer with twenty soldiers ill or wounded. At this time also our captain ordered that enough timber should be cut to build thirteen sloops by which we might again reach Mexico, for it was certain we could not carry on war or enter by the causeways, and we could never master the waters surrounding the town without sloops. Martin Lopez, of whom I have already told as a good soldier in our fight with Narvaez, and an expert in modeling and in cutting the wood of boats—this Martin Lopez now set to work with his unfailing and clever craftsmanship. He made such speed in cutting the wood—Indians whom the caciques of Tlaxcala sent to us aiding in felling and preparing—that he soon had the whole of it cut, and each beam marked for its place in its sloop after the way master carpenters marked pieces in their building. Another good soldier, Andrez Nunez, and a skilful old carpenter, Ramirez, lame of a wound, helped. Cortes also sent Santa Cruz, a worthy soldier, to Vera Cruz for the iron work and sails and cables of the ships we